Appendix 4

Orchestral layout notation

This is a commonly used method of indicating the number of players in session notes and layout instructions. The numbers of players in each section of the orchestral are listed in turn, usually starting with the strings, in this order: strings/woodwinds/brass/percussion.

First Violins. Second Violins. Violas. Cellos. Double basses/Flutes. Oboes. Clarinets. Bassoons/Horns. Trumpets. Trombones. Tuba/Timpanist plus other percussion players/other instruments.

Only the numbers of players are given, without any instrument names. Instruments are listed in abbreviation if necessary for clarification in the ‘other instruments’ category. A common variation to this layout is to put the strings at the end; it is the only section with five component parts so can be readily identified.

An example layout listing looks like this:

• 12.10.8.6.4 / 3.2.2.2 / 4.2.2.0 / T+1 / Hp, Cel, Pno

Which means:

• 12 first violins
• 10 second violins
• 8 violas
• 6 cellos
• 4 double basses

• 3 flutes (this will usually mean 2 flutes and a piccolo)*
• 2 oboes
• 2 clarinets
• 2 bassoons

• 4 horns
• 2 trumpets
• 2 trombones
• 0 tubas

• Timpani
• 1 other percussion player
• Harp
• Celeste
• Piano (in the orchestra)

* Wind section variations can be notated in many ways, as some players might double (i.e. play two instruments), and the notation is not always consistent:

• 2+picc OR 2 + 1 means 3 players, 2 flautists plus piccolo player
• 3d1 = 3 players, one of whom plays both flute and piccolo (‘d’ stands for ‘doubling’)

• 2+cor OR 2 + 1 means 3 players, 2 oboists plus cor anglais player
• 3d1 = 3 players, one of whom plays both oboe and cor anglais

• 2+bass OR 2 + 1 means 3 players, 2 clarinettists plus bass clarinet player
• 3d1 = 3 players, one of whom plays both clarinet and bass clarinet

• 2+contra OR 2 + 1 means 3 players, 2 bassoonists plus contra-bassoon player
• 3d1 = 3 players, one of whom plays both bassoon and contra-bassoon

The four principal wind players sit in the centre of the wind section with the piccolo, bass clarinet, cor anglais, and contra-bassoon at the outer edges (see Figure 7.3).